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UCLA looks to open season with win over Pac-10 rival Stanford

Sep 1, 2007 - 12:09 PM No. 14 UCLA at Stanford 3:30 pm EDT

PALO ALTO, California (Ticker) -- Facing Stanford seems to bring out the best in Karl Dorrell's defense.

Dorrell's 14th-ranked UCLA squad looks to post its third shutout of the Cardinal in four years when the Pac-10 Conference rivals open their seasons on Saturday.

Last year, the Bruins throttled the Cardinal, 31-0, at the Rose Bowl. It was their first shutout since blanking Stanford in 2004, 21-0.

UCLA has won the last three meetings since a 21-14 loss here in 2003.

The Bruins went just 7-6 last season - 5-4 in the Pac-10 - but took a bit of heat off Dorrell with a 13-9 upset of archrival Southern California.

UCLA once again will be led on offense by quarterback and BYU transfer Ben Olson, and on defense by end Bruce Davis, who had 12 1/2 sacks in 2006.

Stanford won just one of its 12 games last year, leading to the firing of Walt Harris after just two seasons. New coach Jim Harbaugh, who had been at the University of San Diego, has gotten some attention after making provoking comments about USC and Michigan, his alma mater.

T.C. Ostrander will take over the quarterbacking duties full time after Trent Edwards' departure to the NFL. Ostrander had replaced the injured Edwards midway through last season.